Top Stories
New Laws Provide Protection, Penalties
The North Carolina General Assembly passed a number of new laws in 2005 with effective dates on the first days of November, December and January. Some of the laws are brand new, such as the Identity Theft Protection Act and the Act To Restore Public Confidence in the Election Process. Other laws have been amended, most often to increase the penalties for violation. [full story]
December Madness: ASU Advances to NCAA 1-AA Semifinals—Two To Go!
“It’s been a great atmosphere to play in here [at Kidd Brewer Stadium],” said 17-year ASU Football Head Coach Jerry Moore. “It’s the noise!” [full story]
Community News
Tuition’s Likely Going Up 22 Percent at ASU
At the December 2 meeting of the ASU Board of Trustees, the board discussed a proposed increase to ASU undergraduate student fees and campus-based tuition.
Grand Jury Indicts Local Murder Suspects
On Monday, November 28, the Watauga County Grand Jury met to sift through the allegations surrounding three local men who are accused of killing a 19-year-old Raleigh native and ASU student Stephen William Harrington, whose body was discovered partially burned in the trunk of his car on Sleepy Hollow lane in Foscoe on November 8.
ASU Board of Trustees Approves Affiliation with Regional Healthcare System
On Friday, December 2, the ASU Board of Trustees met at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center and unanimously voted in favor of an affiliation with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS).
Your Water Bill Just Went Up 300%. What Now?
Thirst Spotlights Water Issues You Never Thought About
“People do not know, or really care, about water until they turn on the tap and it goes dry, or they flush and it doesn’t go away,” said one Stockton council member in Thirst, a prize-winning documentary that challenges the viewer to start caring—and thinking. It’s a provocative and visually beautiful film that, although one-sided, gives at least partial voice to the other side while making the directors’ views clear.
Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture Conference Convenes December 10
The Blue Ridge Women In Agriculture (BRWIA) third annual conference is Saturday, December 10, at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center.
Got Gear
Gear for the Garhwal—a community outreach project between the Department of Geography and Planning and The Nanda Devi Campaign—is asking for used packs, tents, gas stoves, fleeces, shell jackets, sleeping bags, pads, etc. The goods should be used, not used up. Any new gear is also appreciated.
Jones House Trees Celebrate Regional Heritage
With the new snowflake decorations, the Downtown Boone Development Association hopes that downtown Boone will become a holiday destination for local families, and the Jones House Community Center provides an additional boost to that effort with its festively decked halls.
Hunger Coalition Still Looking For Sharing Tree Sponsors
The spirit of giving isn’t just a motto for the holidays when it comes to the Hunger Coalition. Programs throughout the year provide High Country residents with food and medicine as the Hunger Coalition continually rises to meet the challenges of providing for those in need.
Plant Yourself a Forest
The NC Division of Forest Resources has been producing bareroot forest tree seedlings for North Carolinians since 1925, and last year sold approximately 17 million trees, according to West. Since 1925, the state nursery has produced more than one billion trees that have been planted in the state.
Look for a New Greenway Trail Bridge in May
The popular Greenway Trail has been without the bridge near the treatment plant for over a year, since the floodwaters of Hurricanes Charlie, Ivan and Jean destroyed the wooden footbridge that formerly spanned the New River.
Cooper Addresses Valle Crucis Elementary
When North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper visited Valle Crucis Elementary School on Tuesday, his message to the students and the faculty was clear: Children need to be aware of the real dangers of meeting people on the Internet and parents and teachers need to do all that they can to prevent it from happening.
Help Local Agencies Bring on the Heat
When Congress dismissed before Thanksgiving, members had not approved funding to aid needy American citizens in paying their heating bills. On four occasions, a majority of senators voted in favor of more money for federally funded heating subsidies, but the tallies fell short of the supermajority required for passage of the bills.
Avery County Tax Reevaluation Underway
Phillip Barrier, Avery County’s tax assessor, and his associates work toward the ideal of assessments that reflect 100 percent true market value on county properties that must be reassessed at least every eight years by state mandate.
Give Hope on Human Rights Day Saturday
A simple greeting card can provide hope and comfort to those who think they have been forgotten by the world. Keep messages politically and religiously neutral. International postage costs 80 cents per ounce.
Events & Entertainment
Lift Ticket
A new column about skiing and snowboarding in the High Country by Sam Calhoun.
Mountain Living
This week's issue of Mountain Living, Amy Cooke features recipes of Bacon Wrapped Scallops and Smoky Scallops Fettuccine.
Get Lost Gets Busy in December
What do you get when you combine funky rock guitar, thumping bass, pulsating drums, a jazzy horn section and island-flavored steel drums? You Get Lost.
Melissa Reaves Plays Holiday Show at Coffey’s December 13
One of the area’s finest musical exports to all points around the United States and abroad, Melissa Reaves will once again bring it on home for the holidays, performing her potent blend of rock-n-soul at Coffey’s Restaurant on Tuesday, December 13.
Holiday Tips for Dining Out
With the end-of-the-year holidays upon us, and more of us finding less time to prepare and host elaborate feasts, dining out with friends and family is becoming a popular option. High Country restaurateurs would like to offer some pointers, based on mutual respect, for making your experience enjoyable and festive.
Where’s Santa?
The local holiday parades are over, but Santa and Mrs. Claus are making appearances all over the High Country in the coming weeks. For parents’ and grandparents’ convenience, High Country News presents this guide to opportunities for chatting with Santa or Mrs. Claus.
Looking for Children’s Activities Over the Winter Holidays?
Need to get a little shopping done, or even find a full-day program for your children? Try these activities.
Salvation Army’s Red Kettles Benefit High Country
In Boone, kettles are traditionally placed at the entrance to Belk in the Boone Mall and in front of Boone’s K-Mart and Wal-Mart. This year, there is one additional kettle site at Lowe’s Foods in New Market Center.
SugarFest 2005 December 17 & 18
SugarFest takes place on Saturday and Sunday, December 17 and 18, and is sponsored by the Village of Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and hosted by Sugar Mountain Resort. The event is free to visitors who purchase a lift ticket for the day.
“Snowflake” Bentley: Pioneer of Snow Crystal Photography
As skiers arrive in the High Country, they will be greeted with a vision of six-pointed snowflakes—both nature’s version, hopefully, and the Town of Boone’s winter decorations.
Don’t Miss the Quilts!
Two quilt exhibits are currently on display in Boone. The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, in partnership with The Quilt Shop, is hosting one of the touring collections of Quilt National '05—an international juried competition dedicated to promoting the contemporary quilt as an art form.
Grandfather Home for Children Assists United Way Efforts
The organization known as Help Every Little Paw (HELP), participated in a service project last month to benefit the United Way of Spruce Pine. HELP members—child volunteers from Grandfather Home for Children—decorated a Christmas tree to raise money for abused and neglected animals.
Reserve Soon for Madrigal Feast Friday and Saturday
The feast, which has been offered every other year for 20 years, is a four-course meal created by one of the most decorated chefs in the area, Michael Foreman.
Local Talent Fills the Stage in BRSC’s A Sanders Family Christmas
Join the Sanders Family and their pastor for a delightful musical gift in the spirit of the season beginning on Tuesday, December 13, for twelve performances through Friday, December 23.
Local Pagans To Celebrate Yule Holiday December 20
The service, which will celebrate the beginning of winter and the longest night (and shortest day) of the year in conjunction with the birth of the sun, will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boone located at 381 E. King Street.
Nutcracker Ballet Endures For Over 100 Years
In the United States and Canada, virtually every dance company—large or small, fully professional or semi-amateur—performs The Nutcracker during the Christmas season. Currently, more than 200 Nutcracker ballets are performed each Christmas in the United States.
Give Childcare Teachers Something They’ll Really Like
Approximately 800 children, ages birth to 5, are enrolled in 30 licensed childcare facilities in Watauga County. Many thousands more children attend preschools or are cared for by babysitters or nannies while their parents work.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
